Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Spice, that flavour we all crave when the weather cools off, is actually a mix of warm, fragrant spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. We used them all to flavour these comforting cupcakes, plus our Dark Brown Sugar for deep undertones of caramel. And, it’s all topped with a smooth and decadent frosting. It’s a fun and shareable alternative to traditional coffee cakes and loaves.
1 hour cooling time
Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar
With a deeper caramel taste, it adds body to rich, decadent sweets like ganache, brownies, and gingerbread, or mocha anything. It’s also the classic choice for BBQ sauces and marinades, syrups, and more.
Redpath® Granulated Sugar
Our classic, use-it-anywhere sugar is made from 100% pure sugar cane. It’s ideal for sweetening coffee and tea, baking, preserving, canning, and cooking.
Redpath® Icing Sugar
Use it to make the smoothest frostings, icings, and glazes you’ve ever seen for the finishing touch on your cakes, cupcakes, and more.
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (75 g) cake flour ⅔ cup (75 g) cake flour
- 1½ tsp (8 g) baking powder 1½ tsp (8 g) baking powder
- 1¼ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon 1¼ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp (5 g) salt ¾ tsp (5 g) salt
- ½ tsp (2 g) baking soda ½ tsp (2 g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger ½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground nutmeg ½ tsp (1 g) ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp (1 g) ground cloves ¼ tsp (1 g) ground cloves
- 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree, canned 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin puree, canned
- ⅔ cup (167 ml) canola oil ⅔ cup (167 ml) canola oil
- ½ cup (109 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed ½ cup (109 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ cup (83 ml) milk ⅓ cup (83 ml) milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
For the coffee cream cheese frosting (makes 2½ cups / 625 ml):
- 1 cup (227 g) cream cheese, brick-style, cubed 1 cup (227 g) cream cheese, brick-style, cubed
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed
- ¼ tsp (2 g) salt ¼ tsp (2 g) salt
- 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder 2 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder
- 3½ cups to 4 cups (420 g to 480 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar 3½ cups to 4 cups (420 g to 480 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar
Garnish (optional):
- Cinnamon Sugar Cinnamon Sugar
Equipment:
- Muffin tin (regular) x 2 Muffin tin (regular) x 2
- Paper liners Paper liners
- Scale OR dry measuring cups Scale OR dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons Measuring spoons
- Large bowl Large bowl
- Whisk Whisk
- Liquid measuring cup Liquid measuring cup
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR large bowl and hand mixer Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR large bowl and hand mixer
- Rubber spatula Rubber spatula
- Skewer Skewer
- Small offset spatula OR piping bag fitted with a plain/round or star tip Small offset spatula OR piping bag fitted with a plain/round or star tip
- Wire cooling rack Wire cooling rack
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line muffin tins with paper liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, use a whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ground allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until thoroughly blended.
In another large bowl using a whisk or a hand mixer, mix the pumpkin puree, canola oil, the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, the Redpath® Granulated Sugar, milk, lightly beaten eggs, and vanilla extract until homogeneous.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, if using a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, mix on medium-low speed until no flour streaks remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Spoon batter into the prepared tins, filling liners about ⅔ full. Place tins into the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing and placing them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the coffee cream cheese frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the cubed cream cheese, butter, and salt on medium-high speed until no lumps remain.
In a small bowl, stir together the vanilla extract and espresso powder to dissolve the powder. Add to the cream cheese mixture and blend until well combined.
Add the Redpath® Icing Sugar about 1 cup (120 grams) at a time, mixing well on low speed after each addition. Repeat process with the remaining icing sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
Using a small offset spatula or a piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip, decorate the completely cooled cupcakes with the coffee cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle the decorated cupcakes with cinnamon sugar, if desired.
Chef's Tips
*Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with the recipes for the cupcakes and the frosting.
*If cake flour is unavailable: Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift or whisk mixture thoroughly to ensure flour mixture is well combined, and flour is aerated. This is equivalent to 1 cup of cake flour. Use the amount of cake flour needed in the recipe.
*Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar can be used in place of the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar; note that the flavour of the cupcakes will be less complex and have a more subtle caramel undertone.
*Any neutral oil can be used in place of the canola oil (e.g. sunflower, vegetable) or oils with subtle flavourings that won’t overpower or pair well with the pumpkin (e.g. light olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil).
*Omit espresso powder for a caffeine-free, vanilla-flavoured cream cheese frosting.
*If cream cheese frosting is too soft to pipe, add 1 tablespoon of icing sugar at a time to the frosting until the desired consistency is achieved. Placing the frosting into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes will also help solidify the fats to make it stiffer and easier to pipe. If frosting is too thick, mix in a small amount of heavy cream or milk to thin out the frosting.
